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Sharing with you today's "Thursday Tip of the Day".  Embrace and enjoy your summer! Reconnect with friends, family, yourself. Put on your flip flops and shorts. Enjoy the beach, mountains, rivers, cities, planes and trains - wherever your summer will take you. "In the words of Chris Erskine, Writer, from his column this week, titled "Summer Love", I quote: "I prefer a summer day that yawns a little. I like a moon that stays up late. It's the heart of summer. Eat some custard. Count your blessings. Breathe deep the sea. Didn't Joni Mitchell write something about "the hissing of summer ..read more

To be an excellent lawyer for a client in mediation it is not enough to just say, “Oh I’ve got a mediation tomorrow, here, let me pick up the file and head on out.” To be excellent, it takes more than that. Listen to this episode as Host, Jean Lawler–commercial + insurance mediator and arbitrator–shares her list of top 3 things that excellent lawyers do for their clients in mediation. Resources mentioned: Holding the Calm: The Secret to Resolving Conflict and Diffusing Tension by Hesha Abrams Will Work For Food: The New Possibilities Hour, Holding the Calm, The Advanced Course, Present ..read more

You know, people think that they are at an impasse... But are they really? Is there perhaps more room to move? Or are you really done? In this episode, Host, Jean Lawler–commercial + insurance mediator and arbitrator–discusses the following: Two important mediator tools that she uses to test whether parties are at an impasse in mediation: “ifs” and ranges  The benefits of “ifs”, and How to know when you are at an impasse Resource Link: Ambassador & Former National Security Advisor, Robert O'Brien  Negotiation- Lessons From Diplomacy, Will Work For Food: The New Possibilitie ..read more

Now, we all learned early in life that you tell the truth. Right?  And this is very true when it comes to an application for insurance. In this episode, Host, Jean Lawler–commercial + insurance mediator and arbitrator–discusses recission of an insurance policy and answers the following questions: When does rescission of insurance policies happen? What kind of situations can you get into with this? Who could potentially be dragged into these suits? To read the full episode transcript please see the Podcast Website. About the Host: Based in Los Angeles, CA, Jean Lawler is an attorney a ..read more

We have contracts all over. You buy a car, you have a contract. You rent a property, you have a contract. You buy a house, you have a contract. Our lives are filled with contracts, and most of us probably don’t read them word for word. However, to put it simply: Read the Contracts! In this episode, Host, Jean Lawler–commercial + insurance mediator and arbitrator–discusses four examples of conditions in contracts that can become impediments to rights if not complied with. To read the full episode transcript please see the Podcast Website. Case Mentioned: Santa Clara Valley Water District v ..read more

Civility in the legal profession is embodied in all sorts of laws, rules, codes, and creeds. There’s nothing new about civility. It's just a way of conducting our lives that hopefully will make not just our own lives, but everybody’s lives better. And certainly for those of us in the legal profession, isn’t that our calling? In this episode, Host, Jean Lawler–commercial + insurance mediator and arbitrator–talks about what civility is, why it matters to lawyers, and the one key word that makes the difference. To read the full episode transcript please see the Podcast Website. Links to Resour ..read more

Your client’s mediation is coming up.  You know your client’s position. You’ve probably prepared your client for what to expect at mediation. However, as the lawyer, have you prepared yourself for how you are going to negotiate at mediation? Host, Jean Lawler–commercial + insurance mediator and arbitrator–talks about 3 mistakes lawyers make at mediation. Hint: Effective negotiation at mediation is about more than just knowing your client’s case! Listen to this episode to learn more about mistakes to avoid. To read the full episode transcript please see the Podcast Website. About the Ho ..read more

As an attorney, do you ever start mediation by making an extreme opening offer or demand–one that is either really far below or really far above where your client ultimately wants to settle? In this quick, two-minute “Thursday Tip of the Day”, Host, Jean Lawler–commercial + insurance mediator and arbitrator–talks about why attorneys don't need to make opening offers or demands that are in the "insult zone" in order to end up where they want to be. To read the full episode transcript please see the Podcast Website. About the Host: Based in Los Angeles, CA, Jean Lawler is an attorney and me ..read more

Are you an attorney, claims professional or party with litigation pending in California? Are you keeping up with the latest in California Section 998 offers? Watch your 998’s and how you word them! In this quick “Thursday Tip of the Day”, Host, Jean Lawler–commercial + insurance mediator and arbitrator–provides a case law update on two California appellate court cases that were decided on October 28, 2022, examples of 998 offers that were either not properly extended or accepted by one party or the other - and the consequences of such. Trujillo v. City of Los Angeles Council for Education and ..read more